Why are Troll dolls so popular?
Dolls or not, trolls are immensely popular with collectors and have been since their creation in the 1960s. These toys created a fad in the '60s, '70s, and '90s. With the release of the "Trolls" movie in 2016, their popularity is on the rise once again. Troll dolls come in a range of sizes.
What is a troll doll called?
A Troll Doll (Danish: Gjøltrold) is a type of plastic doll with furry up-combed hair depicting a troll, also known as a Dam doll after their creator Danish woodcutter Thomas Dam. The toys are also known as good luck trolls, or gonk trolls in the United Kingdom. The dolls were first created in 1959 and became one...
What is a troll in mythology?
A troll is a being in Scandinavian folklore, including Norse mythology. In Old Norse sources, beings described as trolls dwell in isolated areas of rocks, mountains, or caves, live together in small family units, and are rarely helpful to human beings.
What are Troll dolls made of?
By 1959, Dam established a small factory in Gjøl, and in 1961, he switched to an even more efficient production process called rotational molding, using the same PVC plastic that troll dolls are made of today. By 1962, Dam’s trolls had become an international sensation, fueled by a new network of factories spanning New Zealand to Florida.
Why are troll dolls good luck?
“They were so ugly that you couldn't help but laugh,” Dam said, “and when you laugh, luck follows you." (Scandinavian folklore advises that nothing bad can happen to someone who is laughing.) The original dolls were branded as “Good Luck Trolls and sold under the Dam Things trademark.
What is wrong with troll dolls?
A Trolls doll is being removed from shelves after complaints it promotes child abuse. On Wednesday, Hasbro, the toymaker behind the doll, said it had begun pulling the Trolls World Tour Giggle and Sing Poppy doll from stores and would be replacing it with another doll.
Why are troll dolls being pulled?
PAWTUCKET, R.I. — A Trolls doll is being pulled off store shelves amid complaints it promotes child abuse. Toymaker Hasbro said Wednesday that it's in the process of removing the “Trolls World Tour Giggle and Sing Poppy” from the market and will be offering customers a replacement doll of the popular female character.
Why were troll dolls popular in 1960s?
Invented in 1959 by a Danish woodworker, troll dolls became a North American toy craze in the early '60s and again in the '90s. Thomas Dam carved his first troll doll as a gift for his daughter; he then began selling the dolls locally after his daughter's friends started asking for them.
Are troll dolls offensive?
Hasbro is removing a Trolls doll from store shelves following a number of complaints about an inappropriately placed button that some people say promotes child abuse. The company announced its decision to discontinue the doll on Wednesday thanks to an online petition that received more than 300,000 signatures.
What are Treasure Trolls?
Treasure Trolls, also known as Gem Trolls, were a family of Trolls that existed in Trolls-era media. They were referred to this in some media, such as Trolls: Crazy Party Forest!. Despite this being their official family name, neither Trolls nor Trolls: The Beat Goes On!
When did Trolls become popular?
1960sAlthough troll production started in 1959, trolls became wildly popular in the 1960s when they had their peak of popularity. Trolls have gone in and out of production ever since. Today they are produced as both playthings and as collectibles by such companies as Nyform and even Dam Things (only in Denmark).
What is a poppy troll doll?
Hasbro is pulling its "Trolls World Tour Giggle and Sing Poppy" doll from stores after critics said it promotes pedophilia and child molestation. The doll has a button between her legs, under her skirt, that makes giggling noises when pushed.
What trolls are worth?
Troll Dolls Most trolls aren't worth more than a few dollars, but those that were made in the first few years of production do have a higher value. Dam Things animal trolls from that time period can command anywhere from $25 to $200 if they are in mint condition with tags still attached.
What a troll means?
2 : a person who intentionally antagonizes others online by posting inflammatory, irrelevant, or offensive comments or other disruptive content Internet trolls In the late 1980s, Internet users adopted the word "troll" to denote someone who intentionally disrupts online communities.— Mattathias Schwartz.
What are trolls based?
the Good Luck Trolls dollsTrolls is a 2016 American computer-animated musical comedy film produced by DreamWorks Animation and based on the Good Luck Trolls dolls created by Thomas Dam.
What were trolls called in the 80's?
Trolls have gone under many names, including Good Luck Trolls, Treasure Trolls, Gonks, Wishniks and Dam Dolls, but it is the latter which can claim to be the original name for them.
How big are troll dolls?
Sizes. Troll dolls come in a range of sizes. You can find very tiny trolls at only 2 or 3 inches tall, up to very large trolls at 18 inches or so. Any troll at 12 inches or so is considered very large, with trolls over that considered gigantic.
What are trolls made of?
Nearly all trolls are made out of hard vinyl, although they have been made out of nearly every other material you can imagine including ceramics, rubber, porcelain, and even hemp. Trolls generally have jointed arms and heads (although some have unjointed arms) and plastic or glass eyes, with a little sprout of hair on their heads. They have great big heads, hands, and feet.
How much are trolls in the 1960s?
Non-Dam troll animals can be much cheaper, especially if their tags are not attached. Small 1960s trolls can be found for prices ranging from $15–$30. Certain rare, vintage Nyform trolls from Norway can bring more than $500 as can rarer large more than 12-inch Dam trolls from the 1960s.
When did trolls start?
Years of Production. Although troll production started in 1959, trolls became wildly popular in the 1960s when they had their peak of popularity. Trolls have gone in and out of production ever since.
Is a troll valuable?
Remember, though, not all trolls are valuable today. They were produced in the hundreds of millions, and only mint and rare trolls bring high prices. A collection of trolls, however, can fit in nicely with either a collection of dolls or a collection of toys.
Who made the trolls?
Companies That Produced Trolls. The company Dam Things was started by Thomas Dam, a Danish man who invented the original trolls. Dam, a woodcutter, made the first troll for his daughter out of wood when he was too poor to buy her a toy.
Do trolls collect information?
Troll Doll History and Collecting Information . Some people say they are just dolls but some people say they aren't. Trolls are more like dolls since they are jointed representations of human-like creatures meant for play. Dolls or not, trolls are immensely popular with collectors and have been since their creation in the 1960s.
Where did the troll dolls come from?
The story of troll dolls began in the small town of Gjøl, Denmark, during the economic precarity that followed World War II. According to board game designer Tim Walsh’s 2005 book Timeless Toys, Thomas Dam (1915-1989) was a baker whose livelihood vanished when the local flour factory shuttered.
What is the name of the doll that John Walsh compared to?
White House Photographs. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Boston) Walsh believes troll dolls arrived in the U.S. at a fortunate moment. He compares trolls to the Spirograph, a toy that generates symmetrical designs which found traction thanks to the 1960s’ obsession with colorful mandalas.
How many trolls does Jen Miller have?
In New York City, an artist named Reverend Jen Miller famously turned her apartment’s living room into the Lower East Side Troll Museum, sharing her collection of 400 trolls with visitors by appointment.
What was the name of the trolls in the 1966 Sears advertisement?
A 1966 Sears advertisement tempted shoppers with exclusive releases, including a troll village playset and a “prehistoric model home furnished in true Troll decor.”. Dam’s original Good Luck Trolls—renamed Wishniks when sold by a U.S. distributor—encouraged children to rub their trolls’ colorful hair for good fortune.
How much did Dam's Trolls cost?
With prices ranging from roughly 65 cents up to $5.95 per doll, trolls were a vehicle for pricier add-ons, such as clothing and accessories.
Why are toys unusual?
This is, in part, because some toys invite nostalgia that translates into generational waves of sales. When troll doll enthusiasts grew up and started families, they naturally wanted to introduce their children to the toy.
Who played Branch in Trolls?
Set for on-demand release on April 10, the follow-up to 2016’s Trolls finds main characters Poppy (Anna Kendrick) and Branch (Justin Timberlake) in a race to save trolls’ diverse musical cultures from a band of rock-and-roll trolls determined to silence them. YouTube. Peacock Kids.
Overview
A Troll Doll (Danish: Gjøltrold) is a type of plastic doll with furry up-combed hair depicting a troll, also known as a Dam doll after their creator Danish woodcutter Thomas Dam. The toys are also known as good luck trolls, or gonk trolls in the United Kingdom.
The dolls were first created in 1959 and became one of the United States' bigg…
Toy history
Troll dolls were created in 1959 by Danish fisherman and woodcutter Thomas Dam. Dam could not afford a Christmas gift for his young daughter Lila and carved the doll from his imagination. Other children in the Danish town of Gjøl saw the doll and wanted one. Dam's company Dam Things began producing the dolls in plastic under the name Good Luck Trolls. It became popular in several …
Television, film and video games
The Magic Trolls And The Troll Warriors was a 1991 cartoon special made to promote the Troll doll toys, featuring Trolls battling against King Nolaf and his Troll Warriors. There was also a 30-minute DIC cartoon special in 1992 called Magical Super Trolls which featured an evil troll named Craven.
A platform video game simply titled Trolls was released in 1993 for Amiga, DOS, and C64. Other g…
See also
• Gonk
External links
• Media related to Troll doll at Wikimedia Commons
• Company website
Sizes
Companies That Produced Trolls
- The company Dam Things was started by Thomas Dam, a Danish man who invented the original trolls. Dam, a woodcutter, made the first troll for his daughter out of wood when he was too poor to buy her a toy. Other children in the town soon wanted one so Dam started a company to make them out of plastic. Dam had some trouble with his copyright, which allowed many other compa…
Years of Production
- Although troll production started in 1959, trolls became wildly popular in the 1960s when they had their peak of popularity. Trolls have gone in and out of production ever since. Today they are produced as both playthings and as collectibles by such companies as Nyform and even Dam Things (only in Denmark).
Materials and Characteristics
- Nearly all trolls are made out of hard vinyl, although they have been made out of nearly every other material you can imagine including ceramics, rubber, porcelain, and even hemp. Trolls generally have jointed arms and heads (although some have unjointed arms) and plastic or glass eyes, with a little sprout of hair on their heads. They have great big heads, hands, and feet.
Prices and Secondary Market
- The prices on trolls range from only a few dollars for late, common Russ trolls, to more than $200 for rare 1960s Dam Things animal trolls (such as giraffes and lions). Smaller, more common animals can be found for $25 to $50. Non-Dam troll animals can be much cheaper, especially if their tags are not attached. Small 1960s trolls can be found for prices ranging from $15–$30. Ce…
Trolls Nostalgia
- This article might make you decide to look for a box in your garage that has your old trolls from your college or childhood. Remember, though, not all trolls are valuable today. They were produced in the hundreds of millions, and only mint and rare trolls bring high prices. A collection of trolls, however, can fit in nicely with either a collection of dolls or a collection of toys. If so, yo…
The Origin of The Troll Doll
The Rise and Fall
- By 1962, Dam’s trolls had become an international sensation, fueled by a new network of factories spanning New Zealand to Florida. With prices ranging from roughly 65 cents up to $5.95 per doll, trolls were a vehicle for pricier add-ons, such as clothing and accessories. A 1966 Sears advertisementtempted shoppers with exclusive releases, including a troll village playset and a “p…
The Comeback
- By the 1970s, enthusiasm for the wrinkled creatures faded. But in the words of Walsh, “toys are unusual in their ability to stick around.” This is, in part, because some toys invite nostalgia that translates into generational waves of sales. When troll doll enthusiasts grew up and started families, they naturally wanted to introduce their children ...
The Next Generation of Troll Fans
- In 2013, DreamWorks ushered in a third phase of enthusiasm for trolls by acquiring the official licensing rights from Dam Things. Its adaptation—which starred Anna Kendrick and Justin Timberlake as technicolor trolls with a musical flair—introduced trolls to a new generation of children, whose parents may have played with Russ Berrie trolls or Norfin trolls in the 1990s. Wh…